Hercules en Omphale

About this artwork

plaatrand: hoogte 245 mm x breedte 163 mm

Art Historical Context

Michel Dorigny’s 1643 engraving *Hercules en Omphale* captures a celebrated episode from classical mythology in which the mighty hero Hercules submits to the Lydian queen Omphale. Rendered in the intimate format of 245 by 163 millimetres, the print invites close inspection of the dramatic reversal of roles: Hercules, traditionally armed with club and lion skin, appears instead at the spinning wheel, while Omphale assumes symbols of power. As an engraving, the work belongs to a medium prized in the seventeenth century for its ability to circulate images widely and affordably. Dorigny’s precise...

About the Artist

Michel Dorigny · 1616–1665

French painter. Comment on works: Painter; History; Portrait; Engraver; Religious; Mythology; Draughtsman